If I remember my Beatles History correctly, George Martin only wanted a single disk, but he prudently avoids saying what he would have keep and what he would have dumped. After Sgt. Pepper, the Beatles got unfocused. They recorded a lot of stuffed loosey-goosey. In a sense, they only recorded two albums after that. The stuff from “Magical”, “Yellow Sub” and “Let It Be” really don’t count. They were sound tracks. The US Singles album. “Hey Jude”, doesn’t count. “The Beatles” or *White *album and “Abbey Road” albums had gobs of songs written more individually than together. Abbey Road could have ended up like the White Album, but it was tightened up and edited beautifully. All the odds and ends ended up, rightfully, in the Beatles’ individual albums.
Martha My Dear
Revolution 1
Happiness Is a Warm Gun
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
Blackbird
Rocky Raccoon
Don’t Pass Me By
Mother Nature’s Son
Dear Prudence
Sexy Sadie
Helter Skelter
I Will
Back in the U.S.S.R.
I’m too lazy to sequence them, which may mean I’m not a real music nerd, but so be it.
Here is my cut:
Back in the U.S.S.R.
Happiness Is a Warm Gun
I’m So Tired
Don’t Pass Me By
Helter Skelter
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Revolution 1
Blackbird
Rocky Raccoon
Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
Dear Prudence
Birthday
Good Night
There were a few obvious choices for omission, Revolution 9, Long Long Long, and Wild Honey Pie, after that it got a little tougher.
I think list I have above would flow pretty well.
“Revolution 9” aside, Lennon’s songs are far better than McCartney’s on that record. Lennon has fluff on there, but his fluff is better than Paul’s. George’s “WMGGW” is better than anything by Paul on that record.
- Back in the U.S.S.R.
- Sexy Sadie
- While My Guitar Gently Weeps
- Why Don’t we do it in the Road
- Revolution
- Helter Skelter
- I’m So Tired
- Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except for Me and My Monkey
- Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da
- Happiness is a Warm Gun
- I Will
- Don’t Pass Me By
That’s not to say I don’t think the songs I’ve left out shouldn’t have been released. In fact I only hate Revolution 9 and Long, Long, Long. In fact I’ve left off a few songs I love (Honey Pie, Savoy Truffle, Dear Prudence, Piggies), but I just picked songs that I though would go well together.
If someone is on the fence about including Why Don’t We Do It In The Road? but needs to cut some time how about adding an edited version as the inner groove of the LP where the record ends.
Side 1 can end with infinitely repeating “Why Don’t We Do It In The Road? Why Don’t We Do It In The Road? Why Don’t We Do It In The Road?..”
Side 2 can end with infinitely repeating “No one will be watching us. No one will be watching us. No one will be watching us…”
Boy do I disagree. For me, Lennon’s great songs on the album = Revolution #1 and Glass Onion. McCartney: Back in the USSR, Helter Skelter and Blackbird. McCartney wins. Though I might add Sexy Sadie for Lennon. OTOH, I might also add I Will.
I don’t think much of either of the two Lennon songs you mentioned. His best songs on that record are “I’m So Tired,” “Happiness is a Warm Gun,” “Dear Prudence,” and “Sexy Sadie.” “Back in the USSR” and “Helter Skelter” are just OK, and “Blackbird” is just plain silly and overrated. The rest of Paul’s stuff on that record is pap. Frankly, I don’t think much of ol’ Macca. By the same token, I’m not a big fan of the White Album as a whole.
Back in the U.S.S.R.
Dear Prudence
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Happiness Is a Warm Gun
Blackbird
Why Don’t We Do It in the Road?
I’m So Tired
Julia
Helter Skelter
Sexy Sadie
Mother Nature’s Son
Yer Blues
Revolution 1
Rocky Raccoon
The first five on the list are some of the best Beatles songs period, I think. I love WDWDIITR and a few others for their fun, rocking quality. I threw in a few softer songs to even out the tone of the album, and I had to have Yer Blues and Helter Skelter in there; they are both such unrestrained, almost feral songs.